§ 34-26-80 — Purpose

Alabama § 34-26-80

• Jurisdiction: Alabama
• Title 34: Professions and Businesses
• Ch. 26: Psychologists
• Art. 5: Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact

Text

This article shall be known and may be cited as the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact.
Whereas, states license psychologists in order to protect the public through verification of education, training, and experience and ensure accountability for professional practice; and
Whereas, this compact is intended to regulate the day-to-day practice of telepsychology (i.e., the provision of psychological services using telecommunication technologies) by psychologists across state boundaries in the performance of their psychological practice as assigned by an appropriate authority; and
Whereas, this compact is intended to regulate the temporary in-person, face-to-face practice of psychology by psychologists across state boundaries for 30 days within a calendar year in the performance of their psychological practice as assigned by an appropriate authority; and
Whereas, this compact is intended to authorize state psychology regulatory authorities to afford legal recognition, in a manner consistent with the terms of the compact, to psychologists licensed in another state; and
Whereas, this compact recognizes that states have a vested interest in protecting the public’s health and safety through their licensing and regulation of psychologists and that such state regulation will best protect public health and safety; and
Whereas, this compact does not apply when a psychologist is licensed in both the home and receiving states; and
Whereas, this compact does not apply to permanent in-person, face-to-face practice; however, it does allow for authorization of temporary psychological practice.
Consistent with these principles, this compact is designed to achieve the following purposes and objectives:
1. Increase public access to professional psychological services by allowing for telepsychological practice across state lines as well as temporary in-person, face-to-face services into a state in which the psychologist is not licensed to practice psychology.
2. Enhance the ability of the compact states to protect the public’s health and safety, especially client/patient safety.
3. Encourage the cooperation of compact states in the areas of psychology licensure and regulation.
4. Facilitate the exchange of information between compact states regarding psychologist licensure, adverse actions, and disciplinary history.
5. Promote compliance with the laws governing psychological practice in each compact state.
6. Invest all compact states with the authority to hold licensed psychologists accountable through the mutual recognition of compact state licenses.

Legislative History

(Act 2021-116, §1.)